Privacy
Privacy Statement - Susan Fenny Counselling
To fulfil my responsibilities to you as your counsellor, I am collecting and using personal data and information about you. I am therefore registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a data controller and data processor.
Why I keep information
I collect personal information about you when you enquire about my services so that I can arrange appointments with you. This information includes your contact details, availability and other personal information. I hold your personal details, and keep brief factual notes about the content of our sessions for the purposes of running my business, for the exercise or defence of legal claims, for contacting and communicating with you, and to assist with the recall of information.
How I keep information
My laptop and phone are both password protected.
I keep your email address and telephone number using your first name or initials as a contact in my smart phone. These will be held as long as necessary. Any messages between us will be retained for as long as the records are kept.
Please be mindful that online communication (email, text and phone), apps and platforms can never be 100% safe/confidential. I will however endeavour to keep our systems and communications protected and virus free.
Your personal details (name, address, etc) may be kept in a locked secure cabinet in paper format, and also on an encrypted, password protected memory stick. Your typed session notes are stored separately without your personal details, under an identifying code on a password protected, encrypted memory stick. The notes are backed up on a separate encrypted and password protected memory stick. Each will be kept for a period of 6 years from your final session, at which point they will then be destroyed as confidential waste.
Sharing your information
I will respect your privacy and confidences and protect them from disclosure to others, however there are some situations where disclosure maybe necessary and your information may need to be shared with others. The possible exceptions to confidentiality include:
- disclosures of suspected or actual child abuse
- if it is considered that a person has a serious and imminent intention to harm themselves and/or others
- where criminal offences have occurred or may take place and I am required to breach a confidence by law – for example, money laundering and acts of terrorism.
- when a court order is issued
In addition, in the event of my incapacity, I have nominated trusted executors of my clinical wishes. They will have access to your records as a means of contacting you and assisting you with any interim arrangements. This will only occur as an emergency response.
Please also be aware that if you make payment to me by bank transfer, your name may appear on my bank statements.
Rights regarding your information
With notice, you are welcome to access, view and use any of your information. You can also ask that I change any information that you feel is incorrect, and/or ask me to erase/delete information, and you can ask that I restrict how I use your information if appropriate – I will endeavour to provide you with the information requested as soon as possible and within 4 weeks, except where I have a legal obligation to keep information that may be required in the exercise or defence of legal claims.
If I become aware of a situation where your personal information may have accidentally or maliciously been obtained by a third party I will notify you within three days.
Any problems
If you think there is a problem with how your information is being handled, in the first instance, please contact me. As I am registered with the ICO, if your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction you can contact the Information Commissioners Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/handling/ or call 0303 123 1113. You can also find out more information about your rights at https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/
You may find the answer to your question here. If there is anything else you need to know just contact me. I welcome comments and queries.